Former Fifa footballer of the year defeats president’s son to boost political fortunes before 2017 presidential election

Former world footballer of the year George Weah has been elected to Liberia’s senate, defeating the son of the president and boosting his political fortunes before a presidential election in 2017.

Weah won the Montserrado County seat that includes the capital, Monrovia, with 78% of the vote, defeating Robert Sirleaf, the son of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia’s national elections commission said late on Saturday.